About

Class Syllabus

 

Instructor: Joshua Jernigan

Email: GuideJoshuaJ@Gmail.com

 

Course description: Throughout history LGBTQ+ community members have played an important role in society. From Walt Whitman with his poems to Jazz Jennings with her groundbreaking stance to live her life her way from an early age, LGBTQ+ people have been all around us. Unfortunately throughout history many of these LGBTQ+ narratives were suppressed. Come join us for 8 weeks in an accurate and inclusive American Queer History course and learn who these people were, the important time frames of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and who is leading our future!  

 

Course Objectives: 

This course is designed to introduce students to American Queer History during modern times. This course is to start a conversation regarding LGBTQ+ history and the lack of knowledge often surrounding the topic, and to create a good dialogue to impart knowledge moving forward about this topic with all learners. 

 

General Course Outline:

​

Week One:

Basic history overview

Welcome to the class. We will be doing a basic overview of LGBTQ+ history as well as learning why it is important to know this information, honestly and completely.

 

Week Two:

Poets and their poetry

What do we know about LGBTQ+ poets? How does their queerness play out in their poems?

 

Week Three:

The lasting organizations that changed society

What was the first organization that fought for queer rights? What are the lasting ones? 

 

Week Four:

Stonewall

Come and explore the Stonewall riots and their role in changing queer history in America.

 

Week Five:

The HIV/AIDs epidemic

This is the time to explore the epidemic that started as “gay cancer” and still to this day plays a role in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Week Six:

LGBTQ+ Legislation throughout history

From the days where being gay was illegal to the current fights about trans people’s rights to play sports in school, we will explore the impact of legislation on the community as a whole.

 

Week Seven:

Acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in the media today.

From shows in the 80s having trans characters to when Ellen exclaimed her sexuality into an airport microphone, we will explore LGBTQ+ people in the media and how that changed the perception of the community by the greater population.

 

Week Eight:

Current community fights and where this will land in history

We are currently seeing new bills in committee, more acceptance within the population, and the need to expand our understanding of LGBTQ+ rights and intersectionality. Where will this lead? What will history say of these events?